Treasure Coast Week in Pictures (Dec. 16-22, 2012)

Niki Nikituk (right), 7, stands with her sister, Kayelynn, 8, and friends, Taylor Lowe, 8, and Lexa Lowe, 9, while attending the candlelight vigil held at Laporte Farms for the victims of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting. Nearly 100 people attended the event, held one week after Adam Lanza killed 20 children and 6 adults at the school. "My heart just goes out to those people, those children. Laporte Farms is all about children," said Laura LaPorte, who owns the farm. "It just broke my heart that we haven't done anything. We're all about kids and I wanted to do something."

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Julia Heredia (center) sings with members of the Treasure Coast Elementary School Chorus during a performance for students at the school on Tuesday afternoon. Over 50 students took part in the Christmas performance, which the students have been preparing for since September.

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Rosn Cendejas (center), 44, of Fort Pierce celebrates with her son, Alejandro Cendejas (left), 13, and daughter, Melissa Cendejas, 25, after graduating from Indian River State College with an A.S. Degree in Science at IRSC's Fall Commencement Exercises at the Havert L. Fenn Center in Fort Pierce. "Happiest day in my life," Rosn said. "From my family's side, I'm the first one to graduate so if I can do it everybody can do it. And I serve like a roll model for my children as well so they can continue their education."

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Alicia Hernandez of Vero Beach (center) thanks one of the many volunteers at the Salvation Army of Indian River County's toy giveaway at the Indian River Mall in Vero Beach on Wednesday. Hernandez picked up donated toys for her three children during their annual event. "I'm very happy," said Hernandez about the giveaway. "It's very wonderful to have something for my kids." This year, the non-profit, charitable organization will be serving 535 families with approximately 9,680 toys and 120 bikes given out, according to Salvation Army Maj. Veronica Van Denberg.

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Sheila Halton (right) of Stuart holds out letters in her hand to Arlene Mulligan of Fort Pierce after selecting too many from the bag during Scrabble the Library at the Morningside Branch Library in Port St. Lucie on Thursday. "Every Thursday we gather, we form strong friendships, we enjoy each other's company," Halton said about the event. "I admire these older ladies who are still so sharp that they can make darn good words. We just have a good time." Scrabble the Library is held from 12:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Thursdays at the Morningside Branch of the St. Lucie County Library System inside conference room 212B and is free to the public, so bring your own board or join others already playing. For more information on St. Lucie County library events and programs, visit http://www.stlucieco.gov/library/ online.

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Devin Minus (right), 10, and James Chery, 10, circle a chair as the last two contestants of a musical chairs competition Tuesday afternoon in Veterans Memorial Park during the 12th Annual Willie E. Gary Kidz Carnival in downtown Stuart. Through sponsor donations, the Gary Foundation was able to purchase over 1,000 toys to be given out to area children during the event which also featured, train rides, games, face painting, Santa Claus and other activities to entertain the attendees. Organizers noted that the need for toys has continued to increase each year. "At the end of the day, we want everybody to be fed, have a good time and at least pick up a toy," said Kori Searcy, Director of Public Relations for the Gary Law Group.

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Lisa Djahed, marketing coordinator for the Elliott Museum, talks about the facades that will line the walls of the Stuart Main Street Gallery section of the new Elliott Museum building while giving a tour Wednesday afternoon in Stuart. The Stuart Main Street Gallery will feature between 13 to 30 cars as well as a bi-plane that will be suspended from the ceiling. Opening day for the museum is scheduled for March 3.

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Jack McAfee (center) and his wife, Esther, of Vero Beach, walk through a line of decorated palms while attending Holidays at McKee in 2012.

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Jana Hutchins (center), of Sebastian, and Humane Society of Vero Beach volunteer Sue Manganiello (left) dote on Kody while Humane Society Customer Service Supervisor Alisha Zaleuke pats Kody's new sister, Gracey, on the side Thursday outside the center. "I'm just happy," said Hutchins, who added, "My son is special needs and so I don't look at him any different and it's the same with this dog."

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Kimberly McClain gets a hug from Habitat for Humanity of Martin County Program Director Peggy Bennett after McClain gave a brief speech thanking members of the community shortly before receiving the keys to her family's new home Thursday evening in Port Salerno. The home at 5288 SE Driftwood Avenue marks the 100th home built by the organization. From left are Jeremiah McClain, Kristian Hobbs, Nasya McClain, Christine Hobbs, Kimberly McClain, Peggy Bennett and Emmanuel McClain.

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Dean McIntyre and his wife, Philomena McIntyre, both of Point Roberts, Washington, leave Hoke Hall in Ocean Breeze Park after attending the Ocean Breeze Park homeowners association meeting in December. The couple rents in the park and is hoping that they will be able to remain into next year.

Port St. Lucie City Manager Greg Oravec takes a closer look at an airplane wing table while touring Tradition Studios on Wednesday. The table recently sold for more than $10,000 during an auction by Heritage Global Partners.

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Port St. Lucie Police Chief John Bolduc announces the results of "Operation Happy Holidays", a city-wide investigation focusing on illegal drug activity that brought about the arrest of 33 offenders and recovery of more than 25 firearms from Oct. 3 through Dec. 18. Detectives are looking for six individuals who have active arrest warrants coming from this operation.

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Diane Kim, a resident of Ocean Breeze Park who owns her home, but rents the land on which it sits, speaks up at a Ocean Breeze Park Home Owners Association meeting Monday morning at the community in Jensen Beach. Much of the discussion at the meeting centered around the future of the community.

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Jamie Ferguson (center), along with her son, Jordan (left), 11, and daughter, Jade, 7 (not pictured), of Vero Beach, carry off the fixings for a Christmas dinner being donated to them and other pre-screened, in-need families by associates of the Keller Williams Port St. Lucie office at the Harvest Food and Outreach Center parking lot in Fort Pierce on Friday. Keller Williams Realty, which is a group of 40 area realtors, donated a portion of their commissions to help feed 500 in-need families with Christmas dinners, to feed a family of up to 6, with the help of the Harvest Food and Outreach Center. "Very nice and thank you," Ferguson said after receiving the donation from Keller Williams associates. "We appreciate it and we'll have a nice Christmas, thank you."

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Former mayor of Fort Pierce William Dannahower (at podium) addresses the crowd of about 200 people on Dec. 17 during a naming ceremony at the Alto Lee Adams, Sr. United States Courthouse in Fort Pierce. Seated behind him are United States Magistrate Judge Frank Lynch, Jr. (from left), U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson and United States General Services Administration Regional Administrator Shyam Reddy.

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Shenika Winn of Stuart playfully falls on a 53-inch stuffed teddy bear that was available as a toy to be given to a child during the Martin Volunteers' White Doves Holiday Project/Toys For Tots at the Martin County Fairgrounds in Stuart in 2012. Winn and more than 1,200 other local families, which includes more than 2,600 children, were able to pick out toys for her three children that have been donated locally through the Marine Corps Reserve's Toys For Tots program. Since 1988, the White Doves Holiday Project has been helping out the economically disadvantaged in Martin County, said Carol Hodnett, director of Martin Volunteers. In addition, a bag of food is given out, the majority of it collected through the Boy Scouts' Scouting for Food drive. "I really appreciate today. I really do," said Winn, who is a massage therapist. "Now, my kids can actually have a Christmas."

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Vero Beach Elementary School principal Bonnie Swanson is greeted after a ceremony in her honor at the school on Wednesday. "It's the very best place for kids and I've been lucky to work with superintendents that have let me do some wonderful things," said Swanson.

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Cousins (from left) Abigail Gates, 4, Julian Cooper, 7 and Porter Knox, 5, all of Stuart, sing "Oh Christmas Tree" during the Holiday Sing-Along on Tuesday at the Oxbow Eco-Center in Port St. Lucie. "The kids love music," said Kathy Thomas, who told stories and performed a variety of songs during the event. "Sometimes they just sing and dance, it's just great. They get very animated." Thomas also performs at Oxbow's Treehouse Time series of events, held on the third Friday of each month. For more information, visit oxboweco.com.

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Shirley Walker, left, greets Dot Adams following the naming ceremony Monday at the Alto Lee Adams, Sr. United States Courthouse and Dr. William R. Dannahower Atrium. "We're so proud of the record my father's made and we're proud of the courthouse and all the people that helped make it possible," said Dot's husband, Alto "Bud" Adams Jr., whose father's name is on the courthouse.

Claudius Taylor Jr. (left) delivers a turkey and bag of food to his eldest sister, Bernice Simpson, on Wednesday morning at the county administrative building in Stuart. Taylor was delivering turkeys on behalf of the Stuart Police Department as part of a turkey giveaway that provided 100 turkeys to families who were designated as recipients. The turkeys arrived earlier in the day than expected. As a result volunteers such as Taylor worked to deliver them as quickly as possible while they were still cold. Along with the 12-pound turkeys, those receiving the donations were given a bag of fresh snap peas, 3 bags of stuffing, potatoes, corn, yams, cranberries and a reusable bag. The turkeys and food items were donated by the Dowdy Family Foundation, while the reusable bags were donated by WalMart.

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Laverne McClain laughs after being handed gardening tools by Habitat for Humanity of Martin County Board of Directors Vice President Rocco Fiore during a ribbon cutting ceremony for the McClain family's new home Thursday evening in Port Salerno.

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Nick Ruiseco (right), a former finance manager at Digital Domain Media Group and current employee of the estate, describes some of the features of the outside of Tradition Studios Wednesday while leading Port St. Lucie City Council members, city staff and media on a tour of the facility. Ruiseco, who worked for the visual effects and computer animation company for two and a half years, said that, after remaining in the building for about three months after the company's layoffs and through recent auctions, the shock has worn off.

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Fifth-grader Brookelynn Dean (right) wipes away tears during an emotional ceremony for Vero Beach Elementary School principal Bonnie Swanson, who is retiring after serving more than 30 years in the Indian River County School District and more than a total of 40 in her career. "She was like a mom to me," said Dean, 10.

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John Henry Hall, Jr., (right) leads the Treasure Coast Elementary School Chorus during a performance for students at the school on Tuesday afternoon. Students from the school's third-, forth- and fifth-grade classes took part in the chorus and performed for classmates, as well as parents.

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Richard Page (left) and Ron Barton, both with Arnoff Moving and Storage, place a desk on rollers while moving administrative office equipment into the new Elliott Museum building Wednesday afternoon in Stuart.

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A group of contractors watch as crane operator Wayne Baumker (not pictured) of Mullins Crane of Fort Pierce, lowers the first of 2 sections of the Digital Domain Park sign from the top of the St. Lucie County-owned sports complex at 525 N.W. Peacock Boulevard on Friday December 21, 2012. The sports complex, which is the Spring training home for the New York Mets and the home for the St. Lucie Mets Class A baseball teams, was renamed Digital Domain Park in March after Digital Domain bought the naming rights but has since defaulted on the on the deal and filed for bankruptcy in September. The sign was removed by Ferrin Signs of West Palm Beach. "I feel bad, all those people lost their jobs," said Baumker, who also was the crane operator when the sign was installed.

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Indian River State College graduate Sarah McFarland expresses her feelings to getting her diploma during IRSC's Fall Commencement Exercises at the Havert L. Fenn Center in Fort Pierce. Approximately 2,000 students earned their degrees for the Summer I, Summer 2 and Fall semesters during the event.

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Cameron Graves (left) of Treasure Coast High School bring the ball up the field as Edgar Mendez of Vero Beach High School comes in to defend during their game at the Citrus Bowl on Wednesday evening.

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Edgar Mendez (right) of Vero Beach High School settles a throw-in as Victor Rodrigues of Treasure Coast High School comes in to defend during their game at the Citrus Bowl on Wednesday evening.